NORTON - Saying that Norton can't afford it, voters at Monday night's special town meeting refused to increase the water and sewer superintendent's salary range by $10,000.

Water and Sewer Commissioner Diane McKelligott said Superintendent Duane Knapp had agreed to increase his share of his health insurance and cap the total sick days he could buy back under his new three-year contract with her board.

The proposed new salary range of $80,000 to $100,000 would be in line with superintendents in other towns, McKelligott said. Norton's current range is $70,000 to $90,000.

McKelligott believes Knapp is earning $84,000 to $85,000 now.

However, resident Dorothy Freeman said the increase was hard to absorb given how many taxpayers are unemployed. "These unemployed people are the ones responsible for the tax bills out there," Freeman said.

The superintendent's salary range has gone up previously since 2005, she said.

The finance committee opposed the proposal Monday night, reversing its vote of support shortly before town meeting, Chairman Michael Thomas said.

"This sets a dangerous precedent for all the people that are coming up for contracts," finance board member Thomas DeLuca said.

But member Paul Helmreich said he supported the request.

Knapp and the water and sewer board now must renegotiate the deal, which included a 5 percent annual raise and a cost-of-living increase, Helmreich said.

Knapp might not still be willing to increase his health insurance contribution, Helmreich said.

"We may regret it if we don't do this," said Helmreich, the finance board's liaison to the water and sewer commission.

The special town meeting in the Yelle Elementary School gymnasium on Route 123 drew 74 people as of 7:20 p.m., Assistant Town Clerk Anne Rodrigues said.